covid19

We are facing a pandemic of the new Sar-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19. The situation has disrupted everyone's lives in unprecedented ways. We understand that there is much concern and uncertainty, and that the situation is constantly and rapidly evolving. That is why the CienciaPR Team has activated its #CienciaBoricua community to educate, inform, and promote the well-being of our people. As always, in this emergency, we are ready to put science in service of Puerto Rico.

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The COVID-19 Clinical Laboratory Working Group led by the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust (PRPHT), a program of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust; Ciencia Puerto Rico, and the reference laboratories of Puerto Rico announce that 100,000 molecular tests for SARS-CoV-2 have already been completed since March 26 in collaborative efforts to fight the novel virus on the Island. The group also indicates that more than 3,000 daily tests are already being completed in these laboratories.

This article is reproduced by CienciaPR with permission from the original source.

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El Nuevo Día

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Recognizing the scarcity of molecular testing on the Island and with the concern that the number of tests needs to be increased to lessen the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust and its Puerto Rico Public Health Trust (PRPHT) program have joined forces in a collaboration with CienciaPR, Yale, and a group of academic scientists under the COVID-19 Clinical Laboratory Working Group. This effort seeks solutions to existing barriers to conducting molecular testing for SARS-CoV-2 with an initial goal of exceeding 1,000 tests p

Our friends from The Explorers Guide to Biology and iBiology have created this illustrated guide that explains how soap and water destroy the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. You can download the PDF for free HERE.

Ciencia Puerto Rico is collaborating with the Puerto Rico Public Health Trust to collect donations of much needed medical, clinical, and laboratory supplies, materials, equipment and reagents to help in the detection, treatment and management of COVID-19 in Puerto Rico. Please answer this brief survey to indicate which materials you might be able to donate.

The Puerto Rico Science Policy Action Network launched a petition on March 19, 2020, to demand the resignation of the state epidemiologist in Puerto Rico, Dr. Carmen Deseda, because we understand that Dr. Deseda does not have the necessary expertise in health public and epidemiology, and has failed to prioritize science and evidence in her decision making. We reproduce the text of the petition below. As of today (3/24/20), 185 people have signed the petition, of which 34% identified themselves as graduate students, 34% as professionals with a PhD, Ms, MPH, Ms or DrPH and 32% identified as other (private sector, public sector, contractors, concerned citizens, etc.).